So you might remember I got myself a new slow cooker last week and then planned two slow cooker meals. Guess what? Both of the meals bombed….BIG TIME! I obviously need to work on the whole time thing because both meals were way overcooked and I am here to tell you that overcooked meat is B.L.E.C.H…blech. So here is the thing that is confusing me. Instead of the front saying low and high (now wouldn’t that make sense?!) they make it complicated and use symbols I and II. So being the fairly intelligent girl that I am (a-hem, no comments from the peanut gallery) I assumed that one line would be low and two would be high because hello two lines is more than one line, right? I think I’m wrong or my slow cooker is on speed, one of the two. Sheesh I hope I figure it out soon because I can’t handle a repeat performance of last week.

Thankfully the Smarter Fettuccini Alfredo made up for it! Oh my word was this ever good and my hubby didn’t stop raving about it. So easy too thanks to the overcooked leftover chicken we used. I’m pretty sure it only took my daughter and I about 15 minutes start to table to get er done.

So next week ladies (guys?) in honor of Christmas I want to run another MPM Family Favorites Edition because I know you’ll all be breaking out the good stuff to serve to your family and friends.

You are all invited to share at least one of your family’s favorite holiday recipes or the link to that recipe. Just wanted to give you the heads up so you can be thinking about which recipe to include.

Okay so here is what we’ll be eating this week and you’ll notice we have another fondue on the menu. This is a BIG holiday tradition in our house and if you want you can read all about it here. So fun!!

I just created an awesome crock-pot soup today. I didn’t take a picture of it, but it was so easy.

I cut up a bunch of potatoes and put them in the crockpot with water covering them. Then I layered it with ground beef (cooked) and then a package of frozen veggies. Add: spaghetti sauce, salt, and set for HIGH for 4-5 hours to cook the potatoes. (If you pre-cooked the potatoes, it might not take as long!) Thanks for the great LINK you gave me, and your encouragement in general. Blessings. Gotta try the alfredo thing.

Instead of using a Slow Cooker, have you tried using a Pressure Cooker? I far prefer mine over a Slow Cooker. I find it more convenient to use, plus I think the meals are tastier.

You can cook multiple things at one time by stacking them on top of each other eg curry with rice. Put the curry in the bottom of the pressure cooker and balance a bowl of rice on top. Cooks at the same time. Minimum cleanup etc

My opinion is that there are many other advantages of a pressure-cooker over a slow-cooker. See my blog for the full list if you are interested.

I just realized that my comment here links to my other blog that doesn’t have MPM on it lol. I hope that isn’t too confusing!

If you’ve seen mine lately, I had a greenbean chicken alfredo recipe this last week and it’s up again this week. My husband absolutely loved it. It’ll prob be on the menu quite a bit lol.

Random question though… does anyone else have a hard time sticking to the menu? We stayed out of town an extra day and that really threw us off this last week. (not to mention fil treating us to a meal another day) It was ok because we didn’t buy anything new for those days (plenty of groceries that will keep involved). I think I’m making it my resolution for next year to do better at this lol.

I’m sorry the slow cooker recipes didn’t turn out. I have a vegetarian slow cooker cookbook and have had mixed results. One dish (for sweet and sour tofu or similar) sounded and smelled great… it was probably terrific halfway through the recommended baking time. By the time I got it out of the slow cooker- bland blech. It was very disheartening and killed some of my enthusiasm for my slow cooker. :(

I apologize for posting twice!! This is my second week here and for some reason my first link didn’t go to my blog-I’ll learn:)
Last night my lasagne was a BOMB so it was good to read that I’m not the only person with a BLECH on my hands!!!

Hi Laura –
I had a very similar experience –purchased a brand new, snazzy slow cooker — so excited — then everything I made in it was AWEFUL! Even my old standbys. I had to bite the bullet and get rid of it…I don’t remember the brand but I spoke with someone else who had the same one…they had the same problem.
It isn’t YOU…it is probably the Pot!

Someday I’m going to have to try out fondue in my crockpot. For your potluck you could try Giada de Laurentis’s toasted breadcrumb orecchiete (find the recipe @ food network.com). I substitute regular ol’ bacon for the pancetta to cut down on the cost. It’s always a hit at our church…

I have a “cooking machine” (slow-cooker) with the same, low and high. I found that the 7 or 8 hours that recipes say to cook is too long. I usually just cook the stuff about 4 to 5 hours and just check it. Try it that way.

I’m sure the reason your crockpot stuff was overcooked was because of the new crockpot. I’ve heard this is a common complaint of the new crockpots. The old ones that you can find in a Goodwill will always work much better. I love my crockpot and plan at least one meal a week in it. :)

I’m sure someone else has told you this and I’m sure you probably already know this too. But for the sake of general conversation and learning by others who are beginning to experiment w/ their crockpots:

1. New crockpots cook ridiculously fast. I find that it is is supposed to be on low for 8 hrs, 2 hrs on high and 4 hrs on low will cook it right.

2. The crock pot must be at least half full. We all thought that big crock pots were the way to go, right? Then we learn that 4 chick. breasts turn downright leathery in that big thing. So, do what I did and buy a smaller one.

Chalk me up as another one with a new crockpot (last Christmas) and I’m still figuring it out…last month’s revelation is that one side is way, way hotter than the other. Very disappointing as I loved my old one. I also have a 6qt now and I think I’d be better off with a 4qt.
But, I do want to recommend my favorite pork roast ever…even the new crockpot doesn’t mess this one up. So easy, so good. The only downside (if it is one) is that the meat shreds rather than slices because it’s so moist. But if you want to make pulled pork sandwiches later anyway, it’s ideal.http://memegrl.blogspot.com/2008/10/best-crockpot-pork-roast-ever.html
Seriously. It’ll help you get your crockpot mojo back!

Maybe somebody already told you but it’s not your fault. The Rival crockpot cooks faster. Lots of people have had trouble with it. I have one too and it always overcooks everything. You can do a google search on the Rival overcooking or cooking faster and you’ll find that you aren’t alone.

The pork schnitzel and alfredo recipes sound great! I’ll have to do some modifications, but I am putting them onto my ideas list.

I feel the same way as you about some crockpot dishes. I find a lot of meat gets overcooked. I love my crockpot, but I am starting to learn its limitations. It’s great for cuts of meat like corned beef, or fatty chicken (thighs or legs). Also, if you do a short cycle on high instead of a long cycle on low, you get less overcooked meat (but I usually use it when I am at work so I can’t usually do that.)

I just wanted to comment on your crockpot issue. I too have been having trouble finding recipes that are really good to use in the crockpot. Most of the stuff I have made have not been good either. Maybe you can do a crockpot best menu thing here so we all can share ones that actually work and can be used again. It’s very stressful when you make a meal and it is a flop! Hope you find ones that work for you as it would be so much easier if we had a few that worked all the time and was good.

My husband and I loved to try new recipes and make some real yummy dishes. Now that he’s gone, I have to learn how to cook for one again, and some of the recipes we made together is too much work for one person. Not everything freezes well, as you know. So I thought I’d ask if you or your readers have some advice for cooking for one? :( Right now I’m mostly eating food that people have brought over (good food but it won’t last forever) and disgusting microwave dinners.

For pot lucks I always, always bring deviled eggs! I have 2 dishes that hold the eggs. Once the yolk part is mixed together I put it in a big frosing tube with the wide tip to get the yolk in the egg. Then I put little slices of olives on the top of the egg. Always a hit and easy to do the night before too! If you ever see those plates they are definately worth picking up.